Weight-responsive delay-type automatic liquid filling apparatus



Aug. 26, 1969 FuJlo lNoMATA ET AL 3,463,257

WEIGHT-RESPONSIVE DELAY-TYPE AUTOMATIC LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS 5 SheetS-Sheet l Filed April 6. 1967 F/E. Z

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P/EAr Aug. 26, 1969 FWO ,NOMATA ET AL 3,463,257

WEIGHT-RESYONSIVE DELAY-TYPE AUTOMATIC LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS 5 SheetS-Sneet Filed April 1967 Aug. 26, 1969 FUJlo INOMATA ET AL 3,463,257

WEIGHT-RESPONSIVE DELAY-TYPE AUTOMATIC LIQUID FILLING APPARATUS Filed April 6. 1967 Sheets-Sheet 5 PIE. S

United States Patent O rm. ci. Goig 13/02 U.s. Cl. 177-117 i 2 claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A delay-type auto-matic liquid-filling apparatus comprising a weight-responsive mechanism for supporting a tray on which a container is placed to be filled. Switch mechanism is controlled by the weight-responsive mechanism in accordance with certain conditions which are present during the filling oper-ation. In series with the switch mechanism is a delay-type electromagnetic valve apparatus which comprises a valve, a spring acting upon the valve and tending to hold the valve closed, and an eX- citing coil. A plunger which is actuated by energization of the exciting coil to open the val-ve is arranged in a casing which is adapted to hold a liquid and which surrounds the plunger with a close fit, so that the liquid retards the movement of the plunger. The plunger has a lost motion connection with the valve, and has 'a second spring which acts upon the plunger in opposition to the valveopening movement of the plunger, so that upon energization of the exciting coil, the opening of the valve is delayed while the plunger moves in opposition to the second spring to take up the lost motion connection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an automatic aparatus for filling a container with a desired amount of water or other liquid, and more particularly to a delay-type solenoid valve for use in such an apparatus.

Heretofore, in cases in which such automatic apparat-us is provided in a medical apparatus for dentistry, practical inconvenience occurs due to deficiency in performance thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an automatic apparatus adapted to more perfectly and effectively operate as compared with conventional automatic 'apparatus and which is adapted for filling small-size containers (bottles, cans, cups or the like) in dental offices, nose and ear hospitals, restaurants, and factories manufacturing toilet articles and medicines.

As described hereinafter in detail, the gist of this invention resides in improvement and combinations of the related parts for accomplishing the above-described object. The novel features of this invention are described in the appended claims.

A small-capacity conventional automatic liquid filling apparatus can accomplish at least the intended purpose thereof; however, from the standpoint of the principal conditions thereof, it is accompanied by the following practical disadvantages:

(l) The electric circuit is closed -by the weight of a container when the container is disposed in place on the apparatus, so that a magnetic valve will momentarily actuate so as to discharge the liquid from a liquid filling tube in a predetermined direction. In this case, the size of a tray on which the small-size container is disposed is not substantially the same as that of the `.bottom portion of the small container or alternatively, even if the former were the same as the latter, the liquid would be discharged outside the container when the container is disposed in ice tilted relationship. Great care must Ibe taken not to let the liquid discharge outside the container when the container is disposed in place.

(2) When two switches connected in series are adjusted to three positions (namely, the position in case the container is not in place, the position in case the container is in place, and the position in case the filling of the liquid into the container is finished and stopped), the range of movement of a balance arm is limited to a certain extent due to the constructional condition of the switches. The distance to the supporting point of the balance arm supporting a measuring tray is infinitely longer when the upward and downward movement of the measuring tray is brought extremely close to the vertical, but the center of gravity of the measuring tray effects circular motion when the supporting point is brought closer to the measuring means, and consequently the container will be inclined and unsta'bilized. Namely, by `making the balance arm longer, the mechanism ybecomes so large that practical inconvenience occurs, while the container will effect circular motion in making the balance arm smaller, thereby causing unstability (displacement of the container, etc.).

(3) Since the magnetic valve and the two switches are electrically connected in series, the electric circuit is successively varied to the three positions, namely, prior to startng-starting-stopping, but thereafter the electric circuit is operated in reverse, namely, stopping-starting-prior to starting by removing the container, and thus the electromagnetic valve is again momentarily operated unless a particular device is provided in the operational mechanism of the switches, so that the liquid is discharged.

In a certain apparatus of this type, the electric circuit is arranged to =be mechanically varied to such positions as prior to starting-starting-stopping-prior to starting by providing a rotary cam therein in order to prevent the above-described phenomena; however, said apparatus is complicated in mechanism so that defects in performance will occur.

That is, yby removing the container from the position at which the container is disposed when the electric circuit is varied to a position of starting and the liquid is being discharged, the liquid will continue to be discharged without being interrupted.

(4) In case the apparatus is installed in a medical apparatus for dentistry and is employed for the purpose of gargling, the cup is not always empty. Namely, when the cup is disposed on the measuring tray in the state that the liquid in the container is decreased by a little amount, it is desired to supplement the decreased amount of the liquid; however, when a balance arm is employed, the mechanism makes it very difficult to know whether or not the liquid in the container is decreased by a little amount. When the container is filled with the liquid, the larger the weight of the container in comparison with that of the liquid in the container, the more difficult to know the difference between them. Namely, when a vertical downward force is exerted on a relatively heavy empty container so that the container is pushed down to the stopping position and thereafter the force is released therefrom, it is only with difficulty that the container returns to the initiating position so that the filling operation is initiated. This is true of a cup which is practically employed.

As described above, the purpose has been somewhat successfully accomplished by the conventional apparatus constructed in accordance with a relatively simple principle, however, the apparatus is still insufficient in practice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with this invention, it is attempted to eliminate defects encountered in the conventional apparatus of this type by providing an apparatus comprising a simple and specic electromagnetic valve adapted to be opened after the lapse of a predetermined time from the time that an electric current flows through said electromagnetic valve, and mechanism including a measuring tray adapted to eifect vertical upward and downward movement, a switch and a regulating device which is electrically connected to said electromagnetic valve, wherein the mechanism for opening and closing the switch is extremely miniaturized and the measuring tray `is adapted to easily regulate the amount of the liquid to be lled and the weight required to initiate the lling operation.

Of course, it is possible to work out this invention by combining the conventional mechanism for supporting the measuring tray with this electromagnetic valve; however, in that way the defects experienced in the conventional mechanism for the measuring tray can be partially, not completely, eliminated.

The apparatus in accordance with this invention provides for extremely enhanced reliability in the performance thereof in comparison with the conventional automatic liquid lling apparatus which is to be employed for the same purpose.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a delay-type electromagnetic valve;

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are views illustrating the steps of the operation of the valve and the moving iron-piece disposed within the electromagnetic valve shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of mechanism for supporting a measuring tray;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an electric circuit diagram of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view illustrating a delay-type automatic liquid filling apparatus comprising the delaytype electromagnetic valve shown in FIG. l and the mechanism, shown in FIGS. 5, 9, and l1, which is electrically and hydraulically connected to the electromagnetic valve;

FIG. 9 is another schematic sectional view of a modied mechanism for supporting the measuring tray, the electric circuit being the same as that shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of another mechanism for supporting the measuring tray, the electric circuit being the same as that shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. l1 is another schematic sectional view of a further modified mechanism for supporting the measuring tray;

FIG. 12 is a top View of the moving piece and switch portion shown in FIG. 11; and

FIG. 13 is an electric circuit diagram of the mechanism shown in FIG. l1.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, an upper portion enclosed by a dashed line forms a pulsating circuit of the liquid-passage, and a lower portion similarly enclosed by a dashed line is an air extractor means for eliminating loperational defects due to the fact that air (or gas) remains in the internal portion of the delay-type electromagnetic valve including portions A and B when the delay-type electromagnetic valve is electrically, mechanically and hydraulically connected so as to be ready to operate. When air is initially extracted from the valve after the mounting of the apparatus, then it is only required to tighten a screw provided in the lower portion.

FIG. l illustrates the state in which no electric current ows through an exciting coil 3, an inlet port for discharging the liquid to out side being closed by means of the valve. The valve is depressed by a spring 10 and also depressed through a moving iron-piece 8 by means of a spring 11. The moving iron-piece 8, which is in the form of a plunger, is displaced along a shaft 9 of the valve, however, the valve is not opened while the displacement is within a predetermined limitation. Adjustment of the current ilowing through the exciting coil 3 causes variations in the time that the liquid in the portion A is displaced to the portion B, thereby regulating the time when the valve is opened. The valve is closed after the lapse of a predetermined time after the current is cut 01T, the time of closure of the valve being mechanically predetermined of itself. FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the states in which the moving iron-piece 8 and the valve 9 are displaced after the owing of the exciting current.

FIG. 2 illustrates the state in which, although the moving iron-piece 8 has already been displaced, the valve is not yet opened, FIG. 3 illustrates the state in which the moving iron-piece starts to displace the valve, and FIG. 4 illustrates the state in which the Valve is opened and the moving iron-piece is stopped at the operating step of the delay-type electromagnetic valve. The ironpiece 8 or plunger is located in a casing, having an upper portion B and a lower portion A, which surrounds the plunger with a close tit and which is adapted to hold a liquid that retards the movement of the plunger. The plunger or iron-piece 8 has a lost motion connection with the valve.

The time that the valve is opened after the current ows through the exciting coil 3 is related with the amount of lost motion between the valve and the moving iron-piece 8 and the speed at which the liquid is transferred from the portion A to the portion B, and the speed at which the liquid is transferred is mechanically determined depending upon the closeness of the t of the plunger or iron-piece 8 in the casing and is related with the geometrical product of the amount of the current flowing through the exciting coil and the number of turns of the exciting coil. The amount of lost motion in the connection between the valve and the plunger or iron-piece and the size of the casing through which the plunger moves can be mechanically determined, and errors in the time caused by mechanical errors can be eliminated within practical limitation by adjusting the amount of the current flowing through the exciting coil. The current flowing through the exciting coil can be adjusted by connecting the coil to the outer portion of the electromagnetic valve or by winding a previously measured resistance in the exciting coil. The current flowing through the exciting coil can also be adjusted by varying the supplied voltage.

In FIG. 5, when a cup or the like is disposed on the measuring means 53, a starting spring 59 is depressed by the weight of the cup, so that a moving piece 55 tirst depresses a normally open-type switch 57 for closing an electric circuit connected in series with the electromagnetic valve, thus the electromagnetic valve operates so as to start the supplying of liquid. Next, addition of the weight of the illed liquid to the weight of the cup causes a spring 512 to be pressed, so that a normally closed-type switch 58 is pressed by the other end of the moving piece 55, thereby opening the electric circuit. Of course, the position at which the electric circuit is opened is selectively adjusted to adjust the amount of the liquid.

When the cup is removed, the switches 57 and 58 are naturally returned to the original positions thereof by the springs 59 and 512. Namely, the vertical upward and downward movement of the measuring means 53 is caused by the weight of the cup or the like and the weight of the lled liquid, and the forces exerted on the two switches are adjusted by means of two springs separately provided, thereby translating the two weights superimposed on each other and applied on the moving member 55 into two movements having the same direction so as to actuate the respective switches.

As shown in FIG. 5, communication between the upper mechanism including the measuring means 53 and the lower mechanism including the switches or the like is shut ott by means of a diaphragm 54. FIGS. 9, l0 and ll illustrate examples in which a diaphragm is used. Particularly in the example shown in FIG. 11, the switch is pressed in the same manner as in the case of the example shown in FIG. 5, and the example shown in FIG. l1 employs only one normally closed-type switch, however, it has the same performance as in the case where two switches are employed.

Referring to FIG. 8, the delay-type electromagnetic valve having four operational steps (a step in which no current flows through the exciting coil and the valve is closed, a step in which, although the current is owing through the exciting coil, the valve is not opened until the lapse of a predetermined time, a step in which the current is flowing through the exciting coil and the valve is opened, and a step in which the valve is closed after the lapse of a predetermined time from the time that the current flowing through the exciting coil is cut off) is electrically and hydraulically connected to the mechanism for supporting the measuring tray, which is adapted to have three positions (a position at which the cup or the like is not disposed, a position at which the cup or the like is disposed, and a position at which the cup or the like is filled with the liquid and stopped) by means of upward and downward movement corresponding to vertical upward and downward movement or a portion of circular motion. There are the following five operational steps:

(l) A step in which the cup or the like is not disposed on the measuring tray, namely, when no current is flowing through the exciting coil of the delay-type electromagnetic valve and the valve is closed.

(2) A step in which the normally opened-type switch of the mechanism for supporting the measuring tray is closed by disposing the cup or the like on the measuring tray so that a current flows through the exciting coil of the delay-type electromagnetic valve, but the valve is not opened until a predetermined time passes.

(3) A step in which the valve is opened so that the liquid is filled into the cup or the like.

(4) A step in which the cup or the like is being lled with the liquid even when the cup or the like has been filled with approximately the predetermined amount of the liquid, the normally closed-type switch of the mechanism for supporting the measuring tray is opened, the current flowing through the exciting coil of the delay-type electromagnetic valve is cut off, and the valve is being closed in a mechanically determined time.

(5) A step in which the valve is closed, the filling operation is finished, the normally open-type switch provided in the mechanism for supporting the measuring tray is closed, and the normally closed-type switch is opened and stationary.

The predetermined amount of the liquid to be lilled in the cup or the like is the summation of the amount of the liquid ifilled while an electric current flows through the exciting coil of the electromagnetic valve so that the cup or the like is filled with the liquid approximately by the predetermined amount, and the amount of the liquid which is then filled in the cup or the like until the closure of the valve in a time which is mechanically determined, and the predetermined amount of the liquid to be filled in the cup or the like can be adjusted in the mechanism for supporting the measuring tray.

In this way, this invention provides an improved automatic liquid filling apparatus for preventing the liquid from being discharged after the cup or the like is filled with the liquid, the influence due to the shock caused by the supplying pressure of the liquid is avoided, the mechanism for supporting the measuring means is miniaturized, and variations in the illed amount of the liquid due to the change in the position at which the cup or the like is disposed are minimized.

What we claim is:

1. A delay-type automatic liquid-filling apparatus comprising a tray for receiving a container to be filled, a conduit for directing liquid into a container on the tray to lill the container, weight-responsive mechanism for supporting the tray, switch mechanism controlled by the weightresponsive mechanism to provide a closed circuit when an incompletely filled container is on the tray and to provide an open circuit when the tray is empty and when a filled container is on the tray, wherein the improvement comprises a normally-closed electromagnetic valve of the delayed-opening type for controlling the flow of liquid through the conduit, having an exciting coil in series with the switch mechanism.

2. A delay-type automatic liquid-filling apparatus comprising a tray for receiving a container to be filled, a conduit for directing liquid into a container on the tray to fill the container, weight-responsive mechanism for supporting the tray, switch mechanism controlled by the weight-responsive mechanism to provide a closed circuit when an incompletely filled container is on the tray and to provide an open circuit when the tray is empty and when a filled container is on the tray, wherein the improvement comprises a delay-type electromagnetic valve apparatus for controlling the flow of liquid through the conduit, said electromagnetic valve apparatus comprising a valve, a spring acting upon the valve and tending to hold the valve closed, and an exciting coil, wherein the improvement comprises a plunger which is actuated by energization of the exciting coil to open the valve, a casing which is adapted to hold a liquid and which surrounds the plunger with a close `it so that the liquid retards the movement of the plunger, a lost motion connection between the plunger and the valve, and a second spring which acts upon the plunger in opposition to the valve-opening movement of the plunger so that upon energiaztion of the exciting coil, the opening of the valve is delayed while the plunger moves in opposition to the second spring to take up the lost motion connection, said valve apparatus having its exciting coil in series with the switch mechanism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,596,409 5/1952 Johnson et al. 251-129 XR 2,650,617 9/1953 Wasser 251-129 3,108,777 10/1963 Ray 251-129 XR 2,926,691 3/ 1960 Hui 251-129 X 3,053,032 9/1962 Buchtenkirch et al. 177-210 X 3,306,382 2/ 1967 Esdenschied et al. 177-11'7 X FOREIGN PATENTS 503,295 12/ 1954 Italy.

521,994 3/1955 Italy.

114,160 5/ 1926 Switzerland.

ROBERT S. WARD, IR., Primary Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

